China’s view is not changed by India’s membership in the nuclear supplier group.
Beijing: China has expressed its view on India’s claim of membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), saying that there has been no change in her view in this matter. China says existing members of the NSG are trying to make ‘consensus’ about the inclusion of new members in this group. This group consists of 45 countries for which it is easy to trade on nuclear materials and technology.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told the media here, “China’s view on this topic is unchanged.” The spokesman was asked about Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov’s remark that his country was talking to China for India’s membership in the NSG. Geng said, “China is in favor of the principle that the principles of common consensus should be followed through transparent and impartial dialogue between governments.” China is a member of the NSG. He is the main country opposing India’s membership.
He says that India does not accept the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Due to its opposition, India is having difficulty in getting membership because this group follows the principle of consensus. He said that out of NPT, some countries that want to join this group as a country free of nuclear weapons. At this time the focus is on them. At the same time, they will not sign the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) comprehensive safeguards agreement (CSA), which is mandatory under the NPT. In such a situation, if we agree on the accession of such candidates, then there will be two things. At one time we would be committing non-NPT countries’ nuclear weapons.
Secondly, other than the nuclear weapons-free countries, other countries will adopt a way to not sign the CSA. The spokesman said that, “This will undermine the entire international system of NPT and nuclear non-proliferation. China suggests that the NSG should take a further discussion in such a way that all parties are accepted and the nuclear non-proliferation regime is maintained.
